A Reassessment of Red Linear Pictographs in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of Texas

Abstract

Red Linear is one of four presently defined prehistoric pictograph styles in the Lower Pecos Canyonlands of southwest Texas and Coahuila, Mexico. Based on interpretation of images and two experimental radiocarbon dates, the style was presumed to have been brought into the region by intrusive bison hunters around 1280 B.P. This would place production of Red Linear after the large, polychromatic Pecos River style paintings (4200–2750 B.P.). However, during a recent rock art recording project we identified Red Linear overlain by presumed older Pecos River style. This prompted our re-examination of Red Linear through analysis of 444 figures from 12 sites. We produced a list of diagnostic attributes for Red Linear and documented stratigraphie relationships through macro- and microscopic field analysis. We identified 38 examples of Red Linear under Pecos River figures, thus inverting the relative chronology for the two styles and forcing a reconsideration of previous assumptions regarding the culture that produced the art. This paper demonstrates the potential afforded by analysis of rock art assemblages to reveal inter- and intrasite patterning of attributes and provide insight into relative chronologies. Further, it cautions against the use of variation in artistic style as a marker for ethnicity.

Portable X‐Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy of Pictographs: A Case Study From the Lower Pecos Canyonlands, Texas

“…; Boyd et al . ), we did not place these figures into any of the accepted stylistic categories for Lower Pecos rock art—hence the classification as unidentified. These figures share a resemblance with some of the black Red Linear figures at 41VV76.…”

“…Also at Panther Cave, a black Red Linear style anthropomorph (<1 cm in width) recently discussed by Boyd et al . () has an elevated manganese level of 424 ppm Mn.…”

“…Due to their size, head adornments and close association with Red Linear zoomorphs, Boyd et al . () classified these black and red figures as Red Linear. Interestingly, none of these anthropomorphs are portrayed with gender markers or wielding paraphernalia typically associated with the Red Linear style.…”

“…; Boyd et al . ). The objectives of this present study are twofold: (1) to first describe the methodological and analytical considerations researchers must acknowledge prior to conducting any pXRF study; and (2) to evaluate the effectiveness of pXRF for conducting a preliminary elemental analysis of prehistoric pictographs in the Lower Pecos.…”

“…Unlike Pecos River style, Red Linear anthropomorphs frequently include gender markers and average approximately 10 cm in height (Boyd et al . ). There is one radiocarbon assay of 1280 ± 150 years bp (AA‐10549) for a Red Linear pictograph of a red/orange oval at Cueva Quebrada (41VV162A) (Ilger et al .…”